Beginners and Beyond

Goal race-FAIL. Baton Rouge Beach HM (Read 408 times)

Sub 1:50. Based on a 15k race I ran on Oct 6 at 8:10 pace, I had every reason to believe that my goal was an achievable one.

The training:

Hudson Level 3. I ran the 15k race exactly halfway through training, at the end of week 8. My Oct mileage was a bit low, but I had planned on that since we had a 7 day long family vacation that month.

I was geared up to hit Nov hard, but 3 weeks before my race I became sick with a viral infection. I became so dehydrated that if I sat up, my blood pressure would drop and I'd pass out. IV fluids, nausea meds, antibiotic injection and oral antibiotics was enough to get me back functioning, but I couldn't run for several days. And then even after I was cleared to run I was fatigued and had intermittent bouts of dizziness and nausea up until a week before the race.

The race:

Baton Rouge Beach Marathon/Half Marathon. This race is 3 hours away so we drove in Friday night for packet pickup and the expo. Galloway was there speaking at the expo and I snagged a pic:

I think he could sense my disdain of walk/run intervals and cast a hinky voodoo hex on me. I blame him for my poor performance .

The race was put on by the Chicken Run Track Club so I got chicken swag!!

Well hell. I just realized you people can read this while I'm editing.

Anyway, race morning comes and I'm feeling good. Ready to suffer, push through the pain, all that good stuff.

We get to the race early and I go wait in the long restroom line. There were portapots open but....gross. I met some nice ladies in line and one woman was telling me that she was here from Michigan to cross Louisiana off her 50 states list. This will be important later.

Here we go. We line up, and are off at exactly 7:00 as scheduled. The course is gorgeous and starts and ends at the University lakes at LSU. As we circled the lakes, a flock of pelicans in a v-formation flew over the lake and it was beautiful.

I felt good the first few miles, then at mile 4.5 I felt something. Almost like a side stitch was trying to form, but not quite painful. I continued on, but my mile 6 I could tell something was wrong. I tried to assess- was it my legs? Breathing? I just felt- wrong. I then realized I was having a lot of drainage in my throat (sinus stuff) and I had to start clearing my throat a lot.

By mile 7 I was getting choked up and sure enough, I had to run to the side and vomit. I recovered fairly quickly, and didn't lose much time that mile. But then the wheels fell off. I kept feeling surges of nausea, and would stop and dry heave. Then I'd sprint trying to make up time. By mile 9 I knew for sure my goal was blown, but I still continued my sprint/slow to dry heave and recover/sprint strategy. It took a lot to not stop at every water station and request a ride back to the start.

I was so sick and sad and disappointed but I still wanted to finish and get that damn chicken medal. Every couple I minutes I asked myself "Can you go faster right now?" because I didn't want to look back after the race and beat myself up over not going as quickly as possible.

I continued on determined until mile 12. Up until this point it was my body that had betrayed me; but at mile 12 my spirit broke. I slowed to a walk and I didn't think I could run another step. But then from behind I hear "Hey, is that you Natchitoches?".

It was the lady from Michigan I met in the bathroom line before the race. She was running the full nod recognized me. She told me to run with her. I started to argue but she said "NO! You are too close to the finish. You will NOT walk." I could have cried and hugged her right then.

I hung with her until mile 13, where I split to go to the finish line and she started loop 2. I don't even know her name but I'm so grateful for her being there to encourage me when I hit rock bottom.

I finished the race in 1:56:25. 12/49 in my AG, 36/305 women.

The splits:

Miles 1-4: 8:20, 8:17, 8:19, 8:25

Miles 5-10: 8:26, 8:37, 8:35, 9:26, 9:18

Miles 11-13: 9:46, 9:09, 9:38, 9:11

.15: 7.55 pace

i crossed, got my medal and went over to the grass to sit. I pulled my knees up, put my head down and cried for about a minute. I felt Dh patting my back and asking what had happened. I explained and he was incredulous that I had just finished a freakin' half marathon and was so disappointed in myself lol.

I allowed myself to be upset for a bit, but now I'm ready to move on. Training starts tomorrow with Pfitz 12/70 marathon plan for RnR New Orleans on 2/24.

Oh, and here's the chicken medal:

Bless your heart.

xor

posted: 12/2/2012 at 5:26 PM

Either I showed up to read this too soon or Galloway caused Ima to fall over dead.

Misty? Misty...wake up! You have a RR to finish, dammit! Don't quit on us now!

Tweaky63

I AM running!!!

posted: 12/2/2012 at 5:54 PM

Did Galloway zap Misty with his hex?

The mircle isn't that I finished. The mircle is that I had the courage to start.

~ John Bingham

MJ5

Chief Unicorn Officer

posted: 12/2/2012 at 6:00 PM

Aww, I felt so bad for you reading that! It is just the worst thing when everything falls apart on race day. It happens, though! I really admire you for sticking it out and finishing strong and not giving up. That is a win in itself, and an inspiration--when you are ready to give up, you almost always have a little bit more to give, and you showed that. You're dedicated and disciplined and I have no doubt you'll rock your next race.
And I love the chicken stuff!!

Mile 5:49 - 5K 19:58 - 10K 43:06 - HM 1:36:54

camille2

posted: 12/2/2012 at 6:02 PM

I absolutely love the medal! It's certainly one you earned. Good job hanging in there.